CORNCLUSIONS (I KNOW. AN INEXCUSABLE DISTORTION OF
THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE. ITS MY WEB SITE, AND I CAN DO IT IF I WANT TO.)
THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE. ITS MY WEB SITE, AND I CAN DO IT IF I WANT TO.)
So what did I learn from my corn growing experiments this year?
1. You can grow edible corn without synthetic fertilizer or pesticides, but it won't be the pretty stuff you find in the
supermarket, and the ears won't be as big, and there will be insect damage in 4 out of five ears, but the taste will be
as good as you can buy in the supermarket and you will have the satisfaction of knowing it is pesticide free.
supermarket, and the ears won't be as big, and there will be insect damage in 4 out of five ears, but the taste will be
as good as you can buy in the supermarket and you will have the satisfaction of knowing it is pesticide free.
2. If you refuse to use pesticides you will have to cut off as much as 1/3 of some ears. That's nature's share of the
crop. Get over it and thank the Creator for the miracle that allows you to grow stuff. Then roast a couple of ears in
the husk and eat them. Try it some time without contaminating the corn with butter and salt How can any vegetable
be so delicious?
crop. Get over it and thank the Creator for the miracle that allows you to grow stuff. Then roast a couple of ears in
the husk and eat them. Try it some time without contaminating the corn with butter and salt How can any vegetable
be so delicious?
3. Both varieties of Heritage corn produced sweet and tender corn, but I felt that the Country Gentleman put too
much energy and soil nutrients into its seven foot stalks, so I only saved seeds from the Golden Midget variety with
its three to four foot stalks and three to four inch ears.
much energy and soil nutrients into its seven foot stalks, so I only saved seeds from the Golden Midget variety with
its three to four foot stalks and three to four inch ears.
4. To produce the largest ears, the heaviest yield, and straightest rows of kernels, you need to grow hybrid corn and
sock it with high nitrogen fertilizer, about one table spoon per plant applied about 4 inches from the base of the plant
at 3 separate times in its growth cycle:
1. When the plant gets about 8 inches high
2. When the plant begins to tassel
3. When the ears begin to swell
To prevent burning the plants by the application of fertilizer, each application should be thoroughly watered until
visible fertilizer on the ground has dissolved.
sock it with high nitrogen fertilizer, about one table spoon per plant applied about 4 inches from the base of the plant
at 3 separate times in its growth cycle:
1. When the plant gets about 8 inches high
2. When the plant begins to tassel
3. When the ears begin to swell
To prevent burning the plants by the application of fertilizer, each application should be thoroughly watered until
visible fertilizer on the ground has dissolved.
5. You can't save seed from hybrid corn and get it to grow a successful crop the next year. I tried it with Silver
Queen seed from corn I grew in 2009, and had about a 10 percent germination rate that only produced a few ears,
but the ears produced were as good as the ears from the 2009 crop. I'd heard you couldn't save seed from hybrids
from previous crop years, but being a bone head, I had to try it and see for myself. It was a waste of good garden
space. Although it would have been interesting if I saved seed from the successful ears in this experiment and tried
them again next year.
Queen seed from corn I grew in 2009, and had about a 10 percent germination rate that only produced a few ears,
but the ears produced were as good as the ears from the 2009 crop. I'd heard you couldn't save seed from hybrids
from previous crop years, but being a bone head, I had to try it and see for myself. It was a waste of good garden
space. Although it would have been interesting if I saved seed from the successful ears in this experiment and tried
them again next year.
6. Stagger the plantings of corn to assure a supply of fresh corn on the cob over a several week period. Plant a
couple of rows or hills every ten to fourteen days, and the corn will be ready to eat on the same schedule. The
trouble with this method is that the later corn will be needing tending and watering during the warmest days of
summer when you are least likely to want to do it.
couple of rows or hills every ten to fourteen days, and the corn will be ready to eat on the same schedule. The
trouble with this method is that the later corn will be needing tending and watering during the warmest days of
summer when you are least likely to want to do it.
A mature ear of Country Gentleman corn a heritage
variety.
variety.